Gov. Brian Kemp Signs Law Mandating Jails Work With ICE Following Laken Riley Murder

On Wednesday, Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) signed a new immigration enforcement bill into law after an illegal immigrant brutally murdered 21-year-old Laken Riley earlier this year. The bill, House Bill 1105, mandates that sheriffs and jails cooperate with federal immigration authorities from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to ensure criminals who are in the country illegally get deported.

The legislation also forbids local governments from adopting "sanctuary" city ordinances that mandate that local cops don't cooperate with ICE, a key provision that Riley's family advocated for at the state legislature in March. "My vision for every senator in this chamber is that you protect citizens from this illegal invasion. Please recognize over a million illegal aliens are in this state and making families nervous," Riley's father, Jason Riley, told the state senate. "Please recognize Athens-Clarke is a sanctuary city, and this policy and the lack of action led to the murder of my daughter."

"I stand before you, a heartbroken man. Part of my purpose has been taken. God gave me a beautiful daughter to father, protect, provide for, and nurture. A man with an evil heart stole her life. He was in this country and this state illegally," Laken's father said. "Governor Kemp, please declare an invasion to detain and deport criminal illegals so we can prevent future families from those tragedies."

In response to the family's pleas, Kemp signed the legislation and explained that there would be consequences for illegal migrants coming to Georgia to commit crimes. "If you enter our country illegally and proceed to commit further crimes in our communities, we will not allow your crimes to go unanswered," Kemp said at the bill signing, per Fox News.

As previously reported by the DC Enquirer, Riley was found dead on the University of Georgia's campus in late February. Authorities eventually settled on 26-year-old illegal immigrant Jose Antonio Ibarra as the main suspect, concluding that he abducted and then brutally murdered Riley while she was out for a jog on the campus. Authorities disclosed that Ibarra "seriously disfigur[ed] her body … by disfiguring her skull." Following the beating, Ibarra then dragged the young woman's body to a secluded area.

Ibarra has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, and concealing the death of another, as previously reported by the DC Enquirer. Authorities in New York previously had custody of Ibarra for endangering a minor. Still, the NYPD released him onto the streets before Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could issue a detainer.

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